ASTANA – The Astana Times has curated articles from global media outlets covering Kazakhstan. This week’s foreign media digest includes Kazakhstan’s participation in the 29th United Nations Climate Conference of the Parties (COP29) in Baku, its diplomatic ties with the European Union, an exhibition on Kazakh history in Paris, and more.
Astana. Photo credit: Dmitry Naumov/Shutterstock.
More countries sign declaration to triple nuclear capacity
At the COP29 UN climate change conference in Baku, Azerbaijan, six more countries – El Salvador, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kosovo, Nigeria and Türkiye – have added their support for the tripling of global nuclear energy capacity by 2050, reported World Nuclear News on Nov. 13.
The declaration says the countries recognize the need for a tripling of nuclear energy capacity to achieve “global net-zero greenhouse gas/carbon neutrality by or around mid-century and in keeping a 1.5°C limit on temperature rise within reach.” It also recognizes that “new nuclear technologies could occupy a small land footprint and can be sited where needed, partner well with renewable energy sources and have additional flexibilities that support decarburization beyond the power sector, including hard-to-abate industrial sectors.”
Global Disorder, Middle Powers, and the Next POTUS
The National Interest published an article on Nov. 11 by Kamran Bokhari, Senior Director of Eurasian Security and Prosperity at the New Lines Institute for Strategy & Policy in Washington, about the presidency of Donald Trump and his policies.
“In this chaotic age of intensifying conflicts, largely fueled by great power competition, a second tier of nations are asserting themselves. Increasingly known as the Middle Powers, states in different regions of the world, such as Australia, Brazil, Indonesia, or Poland, driven by a combination of threats and opportunities, are trying to play a role in the management of a global architecture under increasing stress and strain,” the article reads
According to the author, one such emergent player is Kazakhstan, with its unique positioning between Russia, China, and the United States. He adds that the “incoming Trump administration needs a strategic approach to relations with Astana and the broader Central Asian region.”
Kazakhstan aspires to power 15% of its energy needs with renewables by 2030
Kazakhstan plans to reach a 15% share of renewable energy in the energy system by 2030, and the figure should reach 50% by 2050, Kazakhstan’s Vice Minister of Energy Ilyas Bakytzhan said during the Ministerial Dialogue on Promoting Energy Transition Based on Renewable Energy Sources in Central Asia, Trend reported on Nov. 15.
“In general, taking into account the global climate agenda of the Paris Agreement, Kazakhstan plans to reach 15% of the share of renewable energy in the energy system by 2030. The indicator should reach 50% by 2050. Today, this indicator is 6%,” he noted
According to Bakytzhan, Kazakhstan is a country with a developing economy. “Therefore, taking into account the growth of electricity consumption by the population and the economy, we face the task of commissioning new energy capacities. According to the energy balance until 2035, 26 gigawatts of electric power will be commissioned, where the share of renewable energy should be 25%. We pay great attention, among other things, to adhering to the concept of a fair energy transition,” he said.
Kazakhstan presents its plans for reducing methane emissions at COP29
Zulfiya Suleimenova, Advisor to the President of Kazakhstan and Special Representative for International Environmental Cooperation, shared Kazakhstan’s plans to finalize the development of regulatory acts related to methane emissions, at the COP29 climate conference held in Baku, reported Azernews on Nov. 14.
She explained that the country is working to reduce non-accidental methane emissions and to improve the system for detecting and eliminating leaks in the oil and gas sector.
Suleimenova also mentioned that the development of the National Program for Methane Emissions Reduction is planned to be completed by 2025.
Kazakhstan’s treasures of the great steppe arrive in Paris
Euronews announced the opening of the Musée Guimet’s new exhibition exploring 5,000 years of Kazakhstan’s history in five key artifacts from nomadic tribes to the Kazakh khanate on Nov. 8.
“Tobyl’s Thinker stares up into the sky, his deep-set eyes exaggerating his thoughtful gaze as he contemplates the world beyond. His asymmetric, out-of-proportion body is oriented differently, giving him a sense of introspective energy,” the article reads.
According to the author, the stylised figure could be a modern take on Auguste Rodin’s famous pensive nude ‘The Thinker’ first conceived circa 1880 – 1881 and whose oversized version created in 1904 can be seen at the Rodin Museum in Paris.
“But Tobyl’s Thinker, also known as The Man Scanning the Sky, was created from gray-brown sandstone in northern Kazakhstan’s Kostanai Region in the 3-2 BCE. The highly polished sculpture is a beautiful example of the early artistic expression of Kazakhstan and gives a sense of inner life and spirituality. Despite being separated by millennia, the two sculptures are a timeless reflection on human existence,” the article notes.
Kazakhstan fostering stronger trade ties with individual EU member states
Euractiv focused on the 31st anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Kazakhstan and the European Union in its Nov. 15 article. The Central Asian country is looking to deepen cooperation not only with the EU bloc but also with individual member states, the article notes.
“Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev recently led an official state visit to Paris, where, alongside his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron, he signed a return migration deal. It is France’s first ever such pact with a Central Asian country.
The deal comes amid a strengthening of bilateral ties between Paris and Astana. Macron spoke of a ‘reinforced strategic partnership’ during his press declaration with Tokayev. This partnership has seen trade flows growing in the past few years.
In September, Tokayev received a German delegation headed by Chancellor Olaf Scholz on an official visit to Astana, during which the parties engaged in substantive discussions and signed three memoranda aimed at enhancing bilateral cooperation.
Scholz described Germany’s availability as a business partner for Kazakhstan and the wider Central Asian region as ‘essential’, highlighting the good premises for deepening economic relations,” the article reads.
